title: Post-stroke aphasia prognosis: a review of patient-related and stroke-related factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recovery of language function in individuals with post-stroke aphasia is associated with a variety of patient and stroke-related indices. Amidst a complex interaction of a multitude of variables, clinicians are faced with the arduous challenge of predicting aphasia recovery patterns and subsequently, long-term outcomes in these individuals. Unfortunately, predictive factors are highly variable making prognosis of aphasia recovery difficult. Therefore, the objective of this review was to assess the influence of patient-related and stroke-related factors on language recovery in individuals with post-stroke aphasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We completed a literature review to assess and identify evidence-based patient and stroke-related variables shown to be influential in aphasia recovery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A range of patient-related (gender, handedness, age, education, socio-economic status and intelligence) and stroke-related indices (initial severity, lesion site and lesion size) were identified as potential influential factors to post-stroke aphasia recovery. Initial severity of aphasia emerged as the factor most predictive of long-term aphasia recovery. Other influential factors of post-stroke language recovery included lesion site and size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stroke-related factors, including aphasia severity, lesion site and lesion size, appear most critical to post-stroke aphasia recovery. The findings presented in this review offer clinicians an evidenced-based framework to assist in prediction of post-stroke aphasia recovery patterns and subsequent long-term functional communication outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Plowman
authors.forename: Brecken
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hentz
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ellis
mesh_terms: D001037:Aphasia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D011379:Prognosis; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012923:Social Class; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation